UNITED WAY OF THE PIEDMONT INC

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT/EDUCATION - 1) UNITED WAY SEEKS TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY CITIZENS IN GIVING, ADVOCACY, AND VOLUNTEERISM. WE EDUCATE OUR CITIZENS ABOUT SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONCERNS THAT FACE OUR REGION AND THEN CHANNEL THEIR INTEREST INTO THE APPROPRIATE VENUE. MUCH OF OUR ADVOCACY IS ROOTED IN OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH UNITED FOR ALICE, SC211, PHILANTHROPIC AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND STRATEGIC SPARTANBURG. 2) OUR VOLUNTEER SERVICE COORDINATION CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATE PARTNERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE BACK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH TARGETED FOCUS FOR MLK DAY OF SERVICE AND DURING TAX SEASON. IN FY 2024-2025, WE COORDINATED APPROXIMATELY 35,200 HOURS OF SERVICE. OUR VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE PREPARED TAX RETURNS FREE OF CHARGE FOR NEARLY 2,550 AREA FAMILIES, RETURNING MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION IN REFUNDS AND 895,000 IN CREDITS TO OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS SAVING OVER 510,000 IN FILING FEES. 3) UNITED WAY LEADS THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TASK FORCE, WHICH INVOLVES NUMEROUS COMMUNITY LEADERS WHOSE FOCUS IS ON INCREASING THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE ACCESS TO NEEDED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, INVESTING FUNDS AND STAFF TIME TOWARD THIS EFFORT. 4) UNITED WAY LEADS AN ECONOMIC MOBILITY INITIATIVE INVOLVING NUMEROUS COMMUNITY LEADERS TO BETTER ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO POVERTY. AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION; JOB TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT; CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND DRUG SCREENINGS FOR EMPLOYMENT; AFFORDABLE, QUALITY SECOND AND THIRD SHIFT CHILDCARE; PERSONAL MOTIVATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY; FINANCIAL LITERACY; AND SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE BOLD GOAL IS TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS BELOW SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY 10% IN 10 YEARS. 5) UNITED WAY OF THE PIEDMONT MANAGES TWO NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP CENTERS IN CHEROKEE AND UNION COUNTIES. THIS EFFORT GIVES LOCAL AGENCIES THAT ARE ANCHORED IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, BUT SERVE THE TWO OUTLYING COUNTIES, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PHYSICAL PRESENCE AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF THESE TWO COUNTIES. 6) UNITED WAY'S 2-1-1 HELPLINE PROVIDES INFORMATION AND REFERRALS TO INDIVIDUALS IN NEED. ANNUALLY, UNITED WAY PROVIDED 25,170 REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.